Engineering majors are often touted as some of the highest-paying college majors, but is it true? As more research comes out, it has become easier to determine which college majors offer the highest-paying jobs. While you shouldn’t just choose a major based on the money, salary does play a role in selecting a major for many people. Earning potential, job market, personal strengths, and passion are all things that you should consider when looking for a potential college major.
According to a report done by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce in 2015, all of the top 10 highest-paying majors are in STEM fields, and only one of the top 10 isn’t a form of engineering.
List of the Top 10 Highest-Paying Majors
- Petroleum Engineering
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Mining and Mineral Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Geological and Geophysical Engineering
Let’s take a look at the engineering roles on the list that Austin Nichols Technical Search has expert recruiters in those particular fields.
Chemical Engineering
Median annual earnings: $96,000
Having a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering is a great start to having a lot of job options. Between 2016 and 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that around 2,500 new jobs will be available. The rate of new jobs in the field is expected to grow as much as eight percent.
Chemical engineers use a combination of biology, chemistry, physics, and math and apply them to the production of drugs, food, fuel, and other products that consumers use every day. Common duties for chemical engineers include researching new manufacturing processes, developing new products, creating safety procedures, and designing the layout of manufacturing equipment.
Electrical Engineering
Median annual earnings: $93,000
Electronic engineering is one of the engineering fields with the most jobs currently, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that around 21,3000 new electrical engineering jobs will be added between 2016 and 2026.
As an electrical engineer, employees are hired to design, develop, test, and supervise manufacturing processes for electrical equipment and products. Electrical engineers often work with products such as communications systems, navigation systems, electric motors, electronics, and more.
Aerospace Engineering
Median annual earnings: $90,000
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an additional 4,200 jobs will be added to the aerospace engineering field in the United States between 2016 and 2026, bringing the total number of aerospace engineering jobs to over 70,000.
Aerospace engineers help to design and build aircraft, defense systems, missiles, and spacecraft. Most aerospace engineers are employed by manufacturers or the government to assist in the design, analysis, and research and development.
Mechanical Engineering
Median annual earnings: $87,000
While there are more than 288,000 mechanical engineering jobs currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2026, there will be well over 300,000 mechanical engineering jobs in the United States.
Mechanical engineers are responsible for the design, development, and building of mechanical products, equipment and devices. These engineers often help create machines, engines, tools, and more. Other mechanical engineers work for engineering consulting companies such as MEP firms, HVAC companies, and process solutions providers.
What Does All of This Mean for Engineers?
As an engineer, the current outlook on the industry as a whole looks extremely promising. With more jobs becoming available, there will be additional opportunities available for qualified engineers in those sectors. However, just because there are more engineering jobs available doesn’t mean that these positions will be easier to find.
Many engineers need help in their search for available engineering positions in their particular fields, which is where Austin Nichols Technical Search becomes a valuable resource. As a technical recruiting service, we assist both companies looking for engineers and engineers looking for new positions in their fields.
With Austin Nichols, clients have access to otherwise unlisted opportunities available to them. We also help companies with finding and pre-interviewing potential candidates. Since we work with both sides of the hiring process, we are better able to help everyone get the best potential match. To get started in your job or employee search, contact Austin Nichols today at 816-471-5575.
